Fire-escape



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Patented July 25,v 1893.

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UNrTsD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES P. COONS, OF SCOTTSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 501,990, dated July 25, 1893.

Application filed April 24| 1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. COONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scottsville, in the county of Macoupin and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is an improved fire escape and has for its object the provision of a cheap and simple device wh ich will efcientl y facilitate the escape of persons from a burning building and which can be readily moved from place to place and quickly arranged for use wherever needed.

The invention consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the manner of using my improved fire escape. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the belt. Fig. 3 is a detail of the eye -or ring carried by the belt and which is adapted to engage one of the-stops on the escape rope and support the person at any desired point, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the fastening for the upper end of the escape rope.

The primary element of my invention is an escape rope or chain A which is provided at its upper end with a snap hook B adapted to engage a ring or eye C secured in the wall of the building. I prefer to secure this eye or ring firmly in the wall below a window, the escape rope being coiled within a box D which should be large enough to accommodate the belt hereinafter fully described. In this manner, the escape rope or chain is protected against injury and its undue removal and consequent loss are prevented. At the same time, however, it can be easily and quickly removed and carried to another part of the building in case of necessity.

The escape rope or chain may be of any desired length and may be constructed of any preferred. material having the requisite strength. It is provided at regular intervals Serial No. 471,712. (No model.)

with the bosses or stopsE of rubber, or other elastic substance, which will act asa cushion under the impact of the ring, eye or loop on the belt and thereby lessen the jolting of the person using the device. These bosses or stops are convex on their upper sides, as shown at F, so'as to facilitate the passage of the eye or loop thereover in the operation of the device.

The belt F is constructed of leather and canvas and is fastened around the waist of the user by means of the buckle G in the usual manner. It is provided with rings I-I adapted to hold bundles, dto., and straps H depend from the belt and aid in supporting the person using the device, as shown in Fig. l, by forming a sling or seat. At a proper point of the belt, I secure the belt suspending strap I which is permanently secured to the belt at one end and is provided at its other end with a snap hook .I adapted to engage a ring or eye K carried by the belt. The suspending strap is provided at its center with a ring, loop or eye L which passes around the escape rope, as shown. This ring orloop may be secured directly to the suspending strap but I prefer to attach it thereto by means of a snap hook M permanently secured to the strap and adapted to engage the loop as the belt can then be placed around the person while detached from the escape rope and then attached thereto, thus promoting convenience and dispatch. The ring or loop L, it will be noticed, has a central enlarged portion N of a diameter sufficient to clear the bosses or stops on the escape rope and a narrow extension or notch O which is wide enough to clear the escape rope but not wide enough to pass the bosses or stops so that should the loop be drawn forward to bring the notch into engagement with the escape rope, it will come into contact with the boss or stop and its motion be arrested, thus supporting the personv at that point.

The manner of using the device will be readily understood. The escape rope is thrown from the window and will depend therefrom to the ground. The belt is fastened around the'person and attached to the escape rope as described, after which the person passes through the Window and allows theweight of his body to be taken up by the belt after which he passes down the rope by a hand over hand motion. The Weight of his body pulls the loop against the escape rope so that it strikes against the bosses and consequently prevents a too rapid descent. `Should it be desired to stop at any particular point, the loop is not forced over the boss but allowed to rest thereon.

The advantages of the device are thought t0 be obvious from the foregoing description Without further reference thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to Secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a Iire escape, the combination of an escape rope provided with elastic bosses or JAMES P. COONS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. BARNES, JOHN M. CooNs. 

